Returning the $4.3-million refund: All at once? Or across three years?

Written by Macklin Reid, Press Staff
Tuesday, 03 April 2012 04:34

A consensus appears to be building among town officials that the $4.3 million refunded from CL&P should be returned to taxpayers by reducing taxes — or “buying down the mill rate,” they call it.

The Board of Selectmen and Board of Finance discussed returning the $4.3 million last week.

“It was pretty much the consensus of both boards it should be done by mill rate reduction,” Finance Board Chairman Dave Ulmer said Wednesday.

“It’s a question of how much mill rate reduction this year — do we want to keep some of our powder dry for next year?”

Public Hearing, Board of Finance: CL&P refund, last election get roles in budget pageant

Written by Macklin Reid, Press Staff
Saturday, 31 March 2012 04:41

Thematic variations colored the familiar codas of the annual budget debate last Monday night, as school supporters reminded finance board Democrats who elected them, and taxpayers rhapsodized on the $4.3-million CL&P refund.

“Keep the budget as it is without further cuts,” Stephanie Anderson told the finance board. “This is why we came out in the fall and voted you into office.”

“We’ve been overtaxed, and I want my money back,” Ed Reynolds said of the $4.3-million CL&P overcharge, “and I don’t want the government to have the freedom to spend it.”

About 50 people attended the finance board’s public hearing Monday night on the proposed $127-million town and school budget.

Selectmen to meet on Schlumberger, budget

Written by Macklin Reid, Press Staff
Thursday, 22 March 2012 12:38

A potential lease-purchase agreement with an art collector for a portion of the Schlumberger property, and three-year budget projections will be discussed by the selectmen early next week.

The Board of Selectmen has called a special meeting on Monday, March 26, at noon in town hall for public review of the three-year budget projections, followed by a closed-door executive session discussion of the possible Schlumberger sale.

The selectmen will discuss the three-year budget projections in anticipation of making them part of their presentation at Monday night’s the Board of Finance hearing. That hearing is at 7:30 Monday night in East Ridge Middle School.

Marconi favors 0% tax hike — using CL&P refund

Written by Macklin Reid, Press Staff
Tuesday, 20 March 2012 04:33

“There’s something magical about zero, where people will feel ‘we got something back,’ ” First Selectman Rudy Marconi said.

“That zero, psychologically, is the target.”

After the Board of Selectmen voted unanimously last week to recommend a 2012-13 budget with a 1.98% tax increase, Mr. Marconi told the board that he and Controller Kevin Redmond were looking at whether the coming year’s tax increase could be brought down to zero by use of the $4.3 million that CL&P refunded to the town after discovering eight years of electricity overcharges at the high school.